Abstract:

A system and method are disclosed for operating a gaming machine on a
gaming network is disclosed. The gaming machine allows playing a wagering
game and includes a storage device to store an instruction set for the
wagering game. The wagering game includes a randomly selected outcome
selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to receiving a wager
input from a player. An interface is coupled to the storage device and is
capable of communication with the network to receive at least a part of
the instruction set for the wagering game from the network. The wagering
game provides access to a community event over the network.

Claims:

1. A gaming machine for playing a wagering game, comprising:a storage
device to store an instruction set for the wagering game, the wagering
game including a randomly selected outcome selected from a plurality of
outcomes in response to receiving a wager input from a player;an
interface coupled to the storage device and capable of communication with
a network to receive at least a part of the instruction set for the
wagering game from the network; andwherein the wagering game provides
access to a community event over the network.

2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the community event is
a progressive award and a portion of the wager input is for funding an
amount of the progressive award.

3. The gaming machine according to claim 2,wherein the storage device
stores a second instruction set of a second wagering game; andwherein at
least part of the instruction set of the second wagering game is
receivable via the interface from the network.

4-7. (canceled)

8. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the access to the
community event is triggered in response to a mystery event or an outcome
displayed in the wagering game.

9. (canceled)

10. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the wagering game
detects the occurrence of the community event from the network and the
occurrence of the community event is determined by a community event
controller in communication with the network.

11. The gaming machine according to claim 10, wherein the network includes
a community display which indicates the occurrence of the community
event.

12. (canceled)

13. The gaming machine according to claim 1, further comprising a
controller, wherein said network is a peer to peer network, the
controller performing a network function.

14. The gaming machine according to claim 1, further comprising:a player
identification system for identifying said player;a display; andwherein
the player identification system causes the display to display an option
to select the wagering game to the player based on an identification of
said player.

15. A method of distributing an instruction set for a wagering game to a
gaming machine, the wagering game including a randomly selected outcome
selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to receiving a wager
input from a player, the method comprising:storing at least part of the
instruction set for the wagering game on a network, the wagering game
providing a player with access to a community event;coupling the gaming
machine to the network; andloading the at least part of the instruction
set for the wagering game onto the gaming machine.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the community event is a progressive
award and a portion of a wager input funds the progressive award.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising storing at least a part of
a second set of instructions for a second game including a randomly
selected outcome being selected from a plurality of outcomes in response
to receiving a wager input from a player, the second game providing a
player with access to the community event.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:determining an occurrence
of the community event on the network; andsending an indication of the
occurrence of the community event to the gaming machine.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:coupling a second gaming
machine to the network; andloading the at least part of the instruction
set of the wagering game on the second gaming machine.

20. (canceled)

21. A gaming system for playing wagering games and providing access to a
community event, comprising:a network having a storage device to store at
least a part of an instruction set for a wagering game that provides a
player with access to the community event; anda gaming machine coupled to
the network and receiving the at least part of the instruction set for
the wagering game, the gaming machine allowing a player to operate the
wagering game.

22. The gaming system according to claim 21, further comprising a
community event controller coupled to the network to determine at least
in part the occurrence of a community event.

23. The gaming system according to claim 21, wherein the storage device
further stores at least part of a second instruction set for a second
wagering game, the gaming machine receiving the at least part of the
second instruction set for the second wagering game, the gaming machine
allowing a player to operate the second wagering game.

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

26. A gaming machine comprising:a storage device to store an instruction
set for a wagering game;a controller coupled to the storage device, the
controller detecting the use of the gaming machine by a player;an
interface coupled to the storage device, the interface allowing the
receipt of at least a part of the instruction set for the wagering game
having a plurality of outcomes from a network; andwherein a community
event is provided to the player as a function of the use of the gaming
machine and independent of the wagering game played at the gaming
machine.

27. The gaming machine according to claim 26, wherein at least a part of a
second instruction set for a second wagering game is received via the
interface.

28. The gaming machine according to claim 26, wherein the network is a
server based network or a peer to peer network.

29. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

31. The gaming machine according to claim 26, wherein the community event
is operated by an external controller of the network.

32. (canceled)

Description:

COPYRIGHT

[0001]A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains
material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner
has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent
disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files
or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002]The present invention relates generally to gaming machines, and
methods for playing wagering games, and more particularly, to wagering
games having community event features and to different ways of
distributing such wagering games.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003]Gaming machines, such as slot machines, video poker machines and the
like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years.
Generally, the popularity of such machines with players is dependent on
the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine
and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other
available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a
number of competing machines and the expectation of winning at each
machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are
likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting machines.
Shrewd operators consequently strive to employ the most entertaining and
exciting machines, features, and enhancements available because such
machines attract frequent play and hence increase profitability to the
operator. Therefore, there is a continuing need for gaming machine
manufacturers to continuously develop new games and improved gaming
enhancements that will attract frequent play through enhanced
entertainment value to the player.

[0004]One concept that has been successfully employed to enhance the
entertainment value of a game is the concept of a "secondary" or "bonus"
game that may be played in conjunction with a "basic" game. The bonus
game may comprise any type of game, either similar to or completely
different from the basic game, which is entered upon either a "mystery"
event independent of an outcome displayed in the basic game or a
"start-bonus" event dependent upon the occurrence of a selected event or
outcome in the basic game. Generally, bonus games provide a greater
expectation of winning than the basic game and may also be accompanied
with more attractive or unusual video displays and/or audio. Because the
bonus game concept offers tremendous advantages in player appeal and
excitement relative to other known games, and because such games are
attractive to both players and operators, there is a continuing need to
develop gaming machines with new types of bonus games to satisfy the
demands of players and operators.

[0005]Another concept that has been employed is the use of a progressive
jackpot. In the gaming industry, a "progressive game" involves collecting
coin-in data from participating gaming machines (e.g., slot machines),
contributing a percentage of the coin-in to a jackpot amount, and
awarding that jackpot amount to a player upon the occurrence of a certain
jackpot-won event. The percentage of the coin-in is determined prior to
any result being achieved and is independent of any result. A jackpot-won
event may be a "mystery" event independent of an outcome displayed at a
participating gaming machine, or may occur when a "progressive winning
position" is achieved at a participating gaming machine. If the gaming
machine is a slot machine, a progressive winning position may, for
example, correspond to alignment of progressive jackpot reel symbols
along a certain payline. The initial progressive jackpot is a
predetermined minimum startup or "reset" amount. That jackpot amount,
however, progressively increases as players continue to play the
participating gaming machines without winning the jackpot. Further, when
several gaming machines are linked together such that several players at
several gaming machines compete for the same jackpot, the jackpot
progressively increases at a much faster rate, leading to even greater
player excitement.

[0006]In existing gaming terminals, the basic game remains the same and
thus players over time often lose interest in the same game and thus seek
other entertainment. Due to the progressive gaming features of present
games the gaming terminal must remain fixed in its capabilities. Thus,
operators must continually replace gaming terminals with new gaming
terminals running different games having different themes, settings,
bonuses etc. in order to maintain player interest. Such replacement is
expensive and time consuming.

[0007]Another solution which has been used is to distribute wagering game
content to existing game terminals. Wagering game machine operators now
manually deliver the content to an existing game machine by replacing
existing media, such as the ROM, flash RAM or CD-ROM with new media
containing updated game content. However, for casinos owning many gaming
machines, this process is still laborious and expensive.

[0008]Gaming machines may be configured to operate as "stand-alone" units
(that may or may not be coupled to a backroom computer) where the outcome
of game play is "locally determined." Gaming machines may also be
configured as part of a server-based gaming network where the outcome of
game play may be either locally determined or "centrally determined." For
example, a gaming machine located in a bar, a convenience store, a
riverboat, or an airplane, may operate as a stand-alone unit, while a
gaming machine located in a traditional casino may operate as part of a
server-based gaming network within the casino.

[0009]The server-based gaming networks typically include a number of
gaming terminals, communicatively coupled via a dedicated (i.e.,
non-public) communication network to one or more server(s). Because of
their versatility, server-based gaming networks enable a casino to
augment the traditional "basic" game play with enhancements such as
progressives, community bonus games, tournaments, etc. Server-based
gaming network configurations also enable access to all types of gaming
terminal data including performance data, player tracking data,
accounting data, security data, and maintenance data, to name a few.

[0010]In cases where a gaming proprietor owns multiple casinos distributed
over a large geographical area, individual casinos may be linked together
via a large dedicated communication network. In addition, one or more
servers in an individual casino may be communicatively coupled via the
dedicated communication network to one or more remote database servers,
thereby enabling the gaming proprietor to gather gaming data and operate
and maintain the gaming network at one convenient location.

[0011]Accordingly, what is needed is a gaming machine that may be updated
to provide new game content with community event features. Another need
is for a gaming system which offers different games having eligibility
for community events according to player demand. Another need exists for
a gaming system which offers community events which are linked to gaming
machines independent from game mechanics. Yet another need is for a
gaming system which allows different games offering community based
events to be loaded onto gaming machines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012]One example of the present invention is a gaming machine for playing
a wagering game. The gaming machine includes a storage device to store an
instruction set for the wagering game. The wagering game includes a
randomly selected outcome selected from a plurality of outcomes in
response to receiving a wager input from a player. An interface is
coupled to the storage device and is capable of communication with a
network to receive at least a part of the instruction set for the
wagering game from the network. The wagering game provides access to a
community event over the network.

[0013]Another example is a method of distributing an instruction set for a
wagering game to a gaming machine. The wagering game includes a randomly
selected outcome selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to
receiving a wager input from a player. The method includes storing at
least part of the instruction set for the wagering game on a network. The
wagering game provides a player with access to a community event. The
gaming machine is coupled to the network. At least part of the
instruction set for the wagering game is loaded onto the gaming machine.

[0014]Another example is a gaming system for playing wagering games and
providing access to a community event. The gaming system includes a
network having a storage device to store at least a part of an
instruction set for a wagering game that provides a player with access to
the community event. A gaming machine is coupled to the network and
receives the at least part of the instruction set for the wagering game.
The gaming machine allows a player to operate the wagering game.

[0015]Another example is a gaming machine having a storage device to store
an instruction set for a wagering game. A controller is coupled to the
storage device. The controller detects the use of the gaming machine by a
player. An interface is coupled to the storage device. The interface
allows the receipt of at least a part of the instruction set for the
wagering game having a plurality of outcomes from a network. A community
event is provided to the player as a function of the use of the gaming
machine and independent of the wagering game played at the gaming
machine.

[0016]Another example is a gaming system having a server with a storage
device storing an instruction set for a wagering game. A gaming machine
is coupled to the server. The gaming machine provides access to a
community event. An interface is coupled to the gaming machine to allow
at a least part of the instruction set for the wagering game to be loaded
on the gaming machine from a network. The access to the community event
is determined by use of the gaming machine independent of the wagering
game played at the gaming machine.

[0017]The above summary of the present invention is not intended to
represent each embodiment, or every aspect, of the present invention. The
detailed description and figures will describe many of the embodiments
and aspects of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018]The foregoing and other advantages of the invention will become
apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon
reference to the drawings, wherein:

[0021]FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the gaming machine of FIGS. 1a
and 1b;

[0022]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example server-based gaming system;

[0023]FIG. 4 illustrates a menu screen shown on the primary display of a
gaming machine of FIG. 1a which is presented to a player offering a
choice between different wagering games

[0024]FIG. 5 illustrates the primary display of the gaming machine of FIG.
1a displaying the screen of a first game which is loaded from the network
in FIG. 3;

[0025]FIG. 6 illustrates the primary display of the gaming machine in FIG.
1a displaying the screen of a second game which is loaded from the
network in FIG. 3; and

[0026]FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of the process to upload a game to the
gaming machines in the gaming system of FIG. 3.

[0027]While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and
alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example
in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be
understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to
the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all
modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit
and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0028]While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different
forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in
detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that
the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the
principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect
of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.

[0029]Referring to FIG. 1a, a gaming machine 10 is used in gaming
establishments such as casinos. With regard to the present invention, the
gaming machine 10 may be any type of gaming machine primarily dedicated
to playing wagering games and may have varying structures and methods of
operation. For example, the gaming machine 10 may be an electromechanical
gaming machine configured to play mechanical slots, or it may be an
electronic gaming machine configured to play a video casino game, such as
blackjack, slots, keno, poker, roulette, etc.

[0030]The gaming machine 10 comprises a housing 12 and includes input
devices such as a value input device 18 and a player input device 24. For
output the gaming machine 10 includes a primary display 14 for displaying
information about the basic wagering game. The primary display 14 may
also display information about a bonus wagering game. The gaming machine
10 may also include a secondary display 16 for displaying game events,
game outcomes, and/or signage information. While these typical components
found in the gaming machine 10 are described below, it should be
understood that numerous other elements may exist and may be used in any
number of combinations to create various forms of a gaming machine 10.

[0031]The value input device 18 may be provided in many forms,
individually or in combination, and is preferably located on the front of
the housing 12. The value input device 18 receives currency and/or
credits that are inserted by a player. The value input device 18 may
include a coin acceptor 20 for receiving coin currency (see FIG. 1a).
Alternatively, or in addition, the value input device 18 may include a
bill acceptor 22 for receiving paper currency. Furthermore, the value
input device 18 may include a ticket reader, or barcode scanner, for
reading information stored on a credit ticket, a card, or other tangible
portable credit storage device. The credit ticket or card may also
authorize access to a central account, which can transfer money to the
gaming machine 10.

[0032]The player input device 24 comprises a plurality of push buttons 26
on a button panel for operating the gaming machine 10. In addition, or
alternatively, the player input device 24 may comprise a touch screen 28
mounted by adhesive, tape, or the like over the primary display 14 and/or
the secondary display 16. The touch screen 28 contains soft touch keys 30
denoted by graphics on the underlying primary display 14 and used to
operate the gaming machine 10. The touch screen 28 provides players with
an alternative method of input. A player enables a desired function
either by touching the touch screen 28 at an appropriate touch key 30 or
by pressing an appropriate push button 26 on the button panel. The touch
keys 30 may be used to implement the same functions as push buttons 26.
Alternatively, the push buttons 26 may provide inputs for one aspect of
the operating the game, while the touch keys 30 may allow for input
needed for another aspect of the game.

[0033]The various components of the gaming machine 10 may be connected
directly to, or contained within, the housing 12, as seen in FIG. 1a, or
may be located outboard of the housing 12 and connected to the housing 12
via a variety of different wired or wireless connection methods. Thus,
the gaming machine 10 comprises these components whether housed in the
housing 12, or outboard of the housing 12 and connected remotely.

[0034]The operation of the basic wagering game is displayed to the player
on the primary display 14. The primary display 14 can also display the
bonus game associated with the basic wagering game. The primary display
14 may take the form of a cathode ray tube (CRT), a high resolution LCD,
a plasma display, an LED, or any other type of display suitable for use
in the gaming machine 10. As shown, the primary display 14 includes the
touch screen 28 overlaying the entire display (or a portion thereof) to
allow players to make game-related selections. Alternatively, the primary
display 14 of the gaming machine 10 may include a number of mechanical
reels to display the outcome in visual association with at least one
payline 32. In the illustrated embodiment, the gaming machine 10 is an
"upright" version in which the primary display 14 is oriented vertically
relative to the player. Alternatively, the gaming machine may be a
"slant-top" version in which the primary display 14 is slanted at about a
thirty-degree angle toward the player of the gaming machine 10.

[0035]A player begins play of the basic wagering game by making a wager
via the value input device 18 of the gaming machine 10. A player can
select play by using the player input device 24, via the buttons 26 or
the touch screen keys 30. The basic game consists of a plurality of
symbols arranged in an array, and includes at least one payline 32 that
indicates one or more outcomes of the basic game. Such outcomes are
randomly selected in response to the wagering input by the player. At
least one of the plurality of randomly-selected outcomes may be a
start-bonus outcome, which can include any variations of symbols or
symbol combinations triggering a bonus game.

[0036]In some embodiments, the gaming machine 10 may also include a player
information reader 52 that allows for identification of a player by
reading a card with information indicating his or her true identity. The
player information reader 52 is shown in FIG. 1a as a card reader, but
may take on many forms including a ticket reader, bar code scanner, RFID
transceiver or computer readable storage medium interface. Currently,
identification is generally used by casinos for rewarding certain players
with complimentary services or special offers. For example, a player may
be enrolled in the gaming establishment's loyalty club and may be awarded
certain complimentary services as that player collects points in his or
her player-tracking account. The player inserts his or her card into the
player information reader 52, which allows the casino's computers to
register that player's wagering at the gaming machine 10. The gaming
machine 10 may use the secondary display 16 or other dedicated
player-tracking display for providing the player with information about
his or her account or other player-specific information. Also, in some
embodiments, the information reader 52 may be used to restore game assets
that the player achieved and saved during a previous game session. As
will be explained below, casinos may keep track of which games players
prefer and configure the gaming machine 10 to offer those games from a
menu on the primary display 14 or the secondary display 16 when players
insert their cards into the player information reader 52.

[0037]Depicted in FIG. 1b is a handheld or mobile gaming machine 110. Like
the free standing gaming machine 10, the handheld gaming machine 110 is
preferably an electronic gaming machine configured to play a video casino
game such as, but not limited to blackjack, slots, keno, poker, and
roulette. The handheld gaming machine 110 comprises a housing or casing
112 and includes input devices, including a value input device 118 and a
player input device 124. For output the handheld gaming machine 110
includes, but is not limited to, a primary display 114, a secondary
display 116, one or more speakers 117, one or more player-accessible
ports 119 (e.g., an audio output jack for headphones, a video headset
jack, etc.), and other conventional I/O devices and ports, which may or
may not be player-accessible. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1b, the
handheld gaming machine 110 comprises a secondary display 116 that is
rotatable relative to the primary display 114. The optional secondary
display 116 may be fixed, movable, and/or detachable/attachable relative
to the primary display 114. Either the primary display 114 and/or
secondary display 116 may be configured to display any aspect of a
non-wagering game, wagering game, secondary games, bonus games, community
wagering games, group games, shared-experience games or events, game
events, game outcomes, scrolling information, text messaging, emails,
alerts or announcements, broadcast information, subscription information,
and handheld gaming machine status.

[0038]The player-accessible value input device 118 may comprise, for
example, a slot located on the front, side, or top of the casing 112
configured to receive credit from a stored-value card (e.g., casino card,
smart card, debit card, credit card, etc.) inserted by a player. In
another aspect, the player-accessible value input device 118 may comprise
a sensor (e.g., an RF sensor) configured to sense a signal (e.g., an RF
signal) output by a transmitter (e.g., an RF transmitter) carried by a
player. The player-accessible value input device 118 may also or
alternatively include a ticket reader, or barcode scanner, for reading
information stored on a credit ticket, a card, or other tangible portable
credit or funds storage device. The credit ticket or card may also
authorize access to a central account, which can transfer money to the
handheld gaming machine 110.

[0039]Still other player-accessible value input devices 118 may require
the use of touch keys 130 on the touch screen display (e.g., primary
display 114 and/or secondary display 116) or player input devices 124.
Upon entry of player identification information and, preferably,
secondary authorization information (e.g., a password, PIN number, stored
value card number, predefined key sequences, etc.), the player may be
permitted to access a player's account. As one potential optional
security feature, the handheld gaming machine 110 may be configured to
permit a player to only access an account the player has specifically set
up for the handheld gaming machine 110. Other conventional security
features may also be utilized to, for example, prevent unauthorized
access to a player's account, to minimize an impact of any unauthorized
access to a player's account, or to prevent unauthorized access to any
personal information or funds temporarily stored on the handheld gaming
machine 110.

[0040]The player-accessible value input device 118 may itself comprise or
utilize a biometric player information reader which permits the player to
access available funds on a player's account, either alone or in
combination with another of the aforementioned player-accessible value
input devices 118. In an embodiment wherein the player-accessible value
input device 118 comprises a biometric player information reader,
transactions such as an input of value to the handheld device, a transfer
of value from one player account or source to an account associated with
the handheld gaming machine 110, or the execution of another transaction,
for example, could all be authorized by a biometric reading, which could
comprise a plurality of biometric readings, from the biometric device.

[0041]Alternatively, to enhance security, a transaction may be optionally
enabled only by a two-step process in which a secondary source confirms
the identity indicated by a primary source. For example, a
player-accessible value input device 118 comprising a biometric player
information reader may require a confirmatory entry from another
biometric player information reader 152, or from another source, such as
a credit card, debit card, player ID card, fob key, PIN number, password,
hotel room key, etc. Thus, a transaction may be enabled by, for example,
a combination of the personal identification input (e.g., biometric
input) with a secret PIN number, or a combination of a biometric input
with a fob input, or a combination of a fob input with a PIN number, or a
combination of a credit card input with a biometric input. Essentially,
any two independent sources of identity, one of which is secure or
personal to the player (e.g., biometric readings, PIN number, password,
etc.) could be utilized to provide enhanced security prior to the
electronic transfer of any funds. In another aspect, the value input
device 118 may be provided remotely from the handheld gaming machine 110.

[0042]The player input device 124 comprises a plurality of push buttons on
a button panel for operating the handheld gaming machine 110. In
addition, or alternatively, the player input device 124 may comprise a
touch screen 128 mounted to a primary display 114 and/or secondary
display 116. In one aspect, the touch screen 128 is matched to a display
screen having one or more selectable touch keys 130 selectable by a
user's touching of the associated area of the screen using a finger or a
tool, such as a stylus pointer. A player enables a desired function
either by touching the touch screen 128 at an appropriate touch key 130
or by pressing an appropriate push button 126 on the button panel. The
touch keys 130 may be used to implement the same functions as push
buttons 126. Alternatively, the push buttons may provide inputs for one
aspect of the operating the game, while the touch keys 130 may allow for
input needed for another aspect of the game. The various components of
the handheld gaming machine 110 may be connected directly to, or
contained within, the casing 112, as seen in FIG. 1b, or may be located
outboard of the casing 112 and connected to the casing 112 via a variety
of hardwired (tethered) or wireless connection methods. Thus, the
handheld gaming machine 110 may comprise a single unit or a plurality of
interconnected parts (e.g., wireless connections) which may be arranged
to suit a player's preferences.

[0043]The operation of the basic wagering game on the handheld gaming
machine 110 is displayed to the player on the primary display 114. The
primary display 114 can also display the bonus game associated with the
basic wagering game. The primary display 114 preferably takes the form of
a high resolution LCD, a plasma display, an LED, or any other type of
display suitable for use in the handheld gaming machine 110. The size of
the primary display 114 may vary from, for example, about a 2''-3''
display to a 15'' or 17'' display. In at least some aspects, the primary
display 114 is a 7''-10'' display. As the weight of and/or power
requirements of such displays decreases with improvements in technology,
it is envisaged that the size of the primary display may be increased.
Optionally, coatings or removable films or sheets may be applied to the
display to provide desired characteristics (e.g., anti-scratch,
anti-glare, bacterially-resistant and anti-microbial films, etc.). In at
least some embodiments, the primary display 114 and/or secondary display
116 may have a 16:9 aspect ratio or other aspect ratio (e.g., 4:3). The
primary display 114 and/or secondary display 116 may also each have
different resolutions, different color schemes, and different aspect
ratios.

[0044]As with the free standing gaming machine 10, a player begins play of
the basic wagering game on the handheld gaming machine 110 by making a
wager (e.g., via the value input device 18 or an assignment of credits
stored on the handheld gaming machine via the touch screen keys 130,
player input device 124, or buttons 126) on the handheld gaming machine
110. In at least some aspects, the basic game may comprise a plurality of
symbols arranged in an array, and includes at least one payline 132 that
indicates one or more outcomes of the basic game. Such outcomes are
randomly selected in response to the wagering input by the player. At
least one of the plurality of randomly selected outcomes may be a
start-bonus outcome, which can include any variations of symbols or
symbol combinations triggering a bonus game.

[0045]In some embodiments, the player-accessible value input device 118 of
the handheld gaming machine 110 may double as a player information reader
152 that allows for identification of a player by reading a card with
information indicating the player's identity (e.g., reading a player's
credit card, player ID card, smart card, etc.). The player information
reader 152 may alternatively or also comprise a bar code scanner, RFID
transceiver or computer readable storage medium interface. In one
presently preferred aspect, the player information reader 152, shown by
way of example in FIG. 1b, comprises a biometric sensing device.

[0046]Turning now to FIG. 2, the various components of the gaming machine
10 are controlled by a central processing unit (CPU) 34, also referred to
herein as a controller or processor (such as a microcontroller or
microprocessor). To provide gaming functions, the controller 34 executes
one or more game program instruction sets stored in a computer readable
storage medium, in the form of memory 36. The controller 34 performs the
random selection (using a random number generator (RNG)) of an outcome
from the plurality of possible outcomes of the wagering game.
Alternatively, the random event may be determined at a remote controller.
The remote controller may use either an RNG or pooling scheme for its
central determination of a game outcome. It should be appreciated that
the controller 34 may include one or more microprocessors, including but
not limited to a master processor, a slave processor, and a secondary or
parallel processor.

[0047]The controller 34 is also coupled to the system memory 36 and a
money/credit detector 38. The system memory 36 may comprise a volatile
memory (e.g., a random-access memory (RAM)) and a non-volatile memory
(e.g., an EEPROM). The system memory 36 may include multiple RAM and
multiple program memories. The money/credit detector 38 signals the
processor that money and/or credits have been input via the value input
device 18. Preferably, these components are located within the housing 12
of the gaming machine 10. However, as explained above, these components
may be located outboard of the housing 12 and connected to the remainder
of the components of the gaming machine 10 via a variety of different
wired or wireless connection methods.

[0048]As seen in FIG. 2, the controller 34 is also connected to, and
controls, the primary display 14, the player input device 24, and a
payoff mechanism 40. The payoff mechanism 40 is operable in response to
instructions from the controller 34 to award a payoff to the player in
response to certain winning outcomes that might occur in the basic game
or the bonus game(s). The payoff may be provided in the form of points,
bills, tickets, coupons, cards, etc. For example, in FIG. 1a, the payoff
mechanism 40 includes both a ticket printer 42 and a coin outlet 44.
However, any of a variety of payoff mechanisms 40 well known in the art
may be implemented, including cards, coins, tickets, smartcards, cash,
etc. The payoff amounts distributed by the payoff mechanism 40 are
determined by one or more pay tables stored in the system memory 36.

[0049]Communications between the controller 34 and both the peripheral
components of the gaming machine 10 and external systems 50 occur through
input/output (I/O) circuits 46, 48.

[0050]More specifically, the controller 34 controls and receives inputs
from the peripheral components of the gaming machine 10 through the
input/output circuits 46. Further, the controller 34 communicates with
the external systems 50 via the I/O circuits 48 and a communication path
(e.g., serial, parallel, IR, RC, 10bT, etc.). The external systems 50 may
include a gaming network, other gaming machines, a gaming server,
communications hardware, or a variety of other interfaced systems or
components. Although the I/O circuits 46, 48 may be shown as a single
block, it should be appreciated that each of the I/O circuits 46, 48 may
include a number of different types of I/O circuits. The gaming machine
10 may have multiple external ports as part of the external I/O circuits
48, each port dedicated to providing data to a specific host computer
system that performs a specific function (e.g., accounting,
player-tracking, or a progressive game control system, etc). These ports
may take the form of one or more custom interface boards mounted in the
gaming machine 10. The ports may also take the form of, for example,
network interface cards designed to establish an Ethernet connection from
the gaming machine 10 to the external systems 50.

[0051]Controller 34, as used herein, comprises any combination of
hardware, software, and/or firmware that may be disposed or resident
inside and/or outside of the gaming machine 10 that may communicate with
and/or control the transfer of data between the gaming machine 10 and a
bus, another computer, processor, or device and/or a service and/or a
network. In FIG. 2, the controller 34 in the gaming machine 10 is
depicted as comprising a CPU, but the controller 34 may alternatively
comprise a CPU in combination with other components, such as the I/O
circuits 46, 48 and the system memory 36. The controller 34 may reside
partially or entirely inside or outside of the machine 10. The control
system for a handheld gaming machine 110 may be similar to the control
system for the free standing gaming machine 10 except that the
functionality of the respective on-board controllers may vary.

[0052]The gaming machines 10 and 110 may communicate with external systems
50 (in a wired or wireless manner) such that each machine operates as a
"thin client," having relatively less functionality, a "thick client,"
having relatively more functionality, or through any range of
functionality therebetween. As a generally "thin client," the gaming
machine may operate primarily as a display device to display the results
of gaming outcomes processed externally, for example, on a server as part
of the external systems 50. In this "thin client" configuration, the
server executes game code and determines game outcomes (e.g., with a
random number generator), while the controller 34 on board the gaming
machine processes display information to be displayed on the display(s)
of the machine. In an alternative "rich client" configuration, the server
determines game outcomes, while the controller 34 on board the gaming
machine executes game code and processes display information to be
displayed on the display(s) of the machines. In yet another alternative
"thick client" configuration, the controller 34 on board the gaming
machine 110 executes game code, determines game outcomes, and processes
display information to be displayed on the display(s) of the machine.
Numerous alternative configurations are possible such that the
aforementioned and other functions may be performed onboard or external
to the gaining machine as may be necessary for particular applications.
It should be understood that the gaming machines 10 and 110 may take on a
wide variety of forms such as a free standing machine, a portable or
handheld device primarily used for gaming, a mobile telecommunications
device such as a mobile telephone or personal daily assistant (PDA), a
counter top or bar top gaming machine, or other personal electronic
device such as a portable television, MP3 player, entertainment device,
etc.

[0053]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example wagering game network 200
which may include a plurality of gaming establishments such as casinos
202 connected to a communications network 204. As those of ordinary skill
in the art will appreciate, the communications network 204 may be for
example the Internet, or an Intranet with appropriate security
mechanisms. The wagering game network 200 may include other network
devices, such as accounting servers, wide area progressive servers,
player tracking servers, and/or other devices suitable for use in
connection with gaming terminals.

[0054]Each of the plurality of casinos 202 in this example includes a
local area network 206. The local area network 206 may include a wireless
access point 208 and gaming machines 10 and 110. Other game machines in
the local area network 206 include stand alone gaming machines 210a,
210b; 210c, 210d and 210e that may be similar to the gaming machine 10
and a handheld gaming machine 212 that may be similar to the handheld
gaming machine 110. A wagering game server 214 may serve wagering games
on the gaming machines over the local area network 206 and function as a
remote controller as described above. The wagering game server 214
includes hardware and machine readable media including instructions for
performing the operations described herein. Those of ordinary skill in
the art will appreciate that each casino 202 may include other local area
networks such as the local area network 206 which may serve to connect
many other wagering games. Alternatively, multiple servers may be used
for the functions of the wagering game server 214. The local area network
206 may be any type of suitable property LAN configuration including, for
example, a dedicated hardwired property LAN or a wireless property LAN.
The local area network 206 may be configured in a bus topology, a star
topology, a ring topology, a tree topology, a full or partial mesh
topology, etc., and may therefore include a single customer network data
link or multiple customer network data links. The local area network 206
may also be a peer-to-peer network in which case one or more of the
controllers of the game machines perform some or all of the functions of
the server 214.

[0055]The local area network 206 includes wired communication links 218
and wireless communication links 220. In this example, the stand alone
gaming machines 10, 210a, 210b and 210c communicate with the network 206
via the wired communication links 218. The stand alone gaming machines
210d and 210e as well as the handheld gaming machines 110 and 212
communicate with the network 206 via the wireless communication links
220. Of course other combinations of wired and wireless connections to
different gaming machines may be used. The wired and wireless
communication links 218 and 220 may employ any suitable connection
protocols such as Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11, Ethernet, public switched
telephone networks, SONET, etc. The game server 214 may also serve
wagering game devices and/or distribute content to devices located in
other casinos 202 or at other locations on the communications network
204. As will be explained below, the local area network 206 may be
configured to enable downloading of instruction sets (software) for
games, game configuration data, game outcomes, etc. from the central
server(s) such as the server 214 to the gaming machines, and to enable
uploading of marketing and operations data from the gaming terminals to
the central server, in one embodiment.

[0056]In this example, the wireless access point 208 and gaming machines
such as the gaming machine 110 may communicate orthogonal frequency
division multiplexed (OFDM) communication signals over a multicarrier
communication channel. The multicarrier communication channel may be
within a predetermined frequency spectrum and may comprise a plurality of
orthogonal subcarriers. In some examples, the multicarrier signals may be
defined by closely spaced OFDM subcarriers. Each subcarrier may have a
null at substantially a center frequency of the other subcarriers and/or
each subcarrier may have an integer number of cycles within a symbol
period. For example, the wireless access point 208 and the gaming
machines may communicate in accordance with a broadband multiple access
technique, such as orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA).
Alternatively, the wireless access point 208 and the gaming machines may
communicate using spread spectrum signals.

[0057]The wireless access point 208 may be part of a communication
station, such as a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication
station including a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), or a WLAN access point
(AP). In such systems, the gaming machines such as gaming machine 110 may
be part of a mobile station, such as a WLAN mobile station or a WiFi
mobile station. Alternatively, the wireless access point 208 may be part
of a broadband wireless access (BWA) network communication station, such
as a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax)
communication station, as the wireless access point 208 may be part of
almost any wireless communication device. In such examples, the gaming
machines may be part of a BWA network communication station, such as a
WiMax communication station.

[0058]In this example, the frequency spectrums of the communication
signals transmitted and received by the wireless access point 208 and the
gaming machines may either be a 5 gigahertz (GHz) frequency spectrum or a
2.4 GHz frequency spectrum. In these examples, the 5 GHz frequency
spectrum may include frequencies ranging from approximately 4.9 to 5.9
GHz, and the 2.4 GHz spectrum may include frequencies ranging from
approximately 2.3 to 2.5 GHz, but other frequency spectrums are also
equally suitable. In some BWA networks, the frequency spectrum for the
communication signals may includes frequencies between 2 and 11 GHz.

[0059]The wireless access point 208 and the gaming machines may also
communicate RF signals in accordance with specific communications
standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
(IEEE) standards including IEEE 802.11(a), 80211(b), 802.11(g), 802.11(h)
and/or 802.11(n) standards and/or proposed specifications for wireless
local area networks, but they may also be suitable to transmit and/or
receive communications in accordance with other techniques and standards.
For example, in BWA networks, the wireless access point 208 and the
gaming machines RF signals in accordance with the IEEE 802.16-2004 and
IEEE 802.16(e) standards for wireless metropolitan area networks (WMANs)
including variations and evolutions thereof. However, they can also be
suitable to transmit and/or receive communications in accordance with
other techniques and standards.

[0060]The wireless access point 208 and the gaming machines may include
one or more antennas (not shown). These antennas may include directional
or omnidirectional antennas, including, for example, dipole antennas,
monopole antennas, patch antennas, loop antennas, microstrip antennas or
other types of antennas suitable for transmission of the RF signals. In
some multiple input, multiple output configurations, two or more antennas
may be used. Alternatively, a single antenna with multiple apertures may
be used. In multiple aperture configurations, each aperture may be
considered a separate antenna. In some multi-antenna configurations, each
antenna may be effectively separated to take advantage of spatial
diversity and the different channel characteristics that may result
between each of the antennas and another wireless communication device.
In some multi-antenna configurations, the antennas of a device may be
separated by up to 1/10 of a wavelength or more.

[0061]Handoffs between different wireless access point such as the
wireless access point 208 and one of the gaming machines such as the
gaming machine 110 may be performed on a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), a
signal-to-noise and interference ration (SNIR), a bit-error rate (BER),
or an energy per received bit.

[0062]It is to be understood that the wireless access point 208 and the
gaming machines may communicate in accordance with standards such as the
Pan-European mobile system standard referred to as the Global System for
Mobile Communications (GSM). Alternatively, the wireless access point 208
and the gaming machines may also communicate in accordance with packet
radio services such as the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) packet
data communication service. The access point 208 may also communicate
with the gaming machines in accordance with the Universal mobile
Telephone System (UMTS) for the next generation of GSM, which may, for
example, implement communication techniques in accordance with 2.5G and
third generation (3G) wireless standards. The wireless access point 208
and the gaming machines may provide packet data services (PDS) using
packet data protocols (PDP). The wireless access point 208 and the gaming
machines may communicate in accordance with other standards or other air
interfaces including interfaces compatible with the enhanced data for GSM
evolution (EDGE) standards.

[0063]The wireless access point 208 and the gaming machines may also
communicate in accordance with a short range wireless standard, such as
the Bluetooth® short range digital communication protocol.
Bluetooth® wireless technology is a de facto standard, as well as a
specification for small-form factor, low cost, short range radio links
between mobile computers, mobile phones and other portable devices.
Alternatively, the wireless access point 208 and the gaming machines may
communicate in accordance with an ultra-wideband (UWB) communications
technique where a carrier frequency is not used. The wireless access
point 208 and the gaming machines may also communicate in accordance with
an analog communication technique, in accordance with an optical
communication technique such as the Infrared Data Association (IrDA)
standard, or the Home-RF standard such as in accordance with a Home-RF
Working Group (HRFWG) standard.

[0064]The server 214 may be any computer capable of executing programs or
instruction sets for controlling slot machines and other types of gaming
machines. In such embodiments, the gaming machines 10, 100, 210a-e and
212 may each be a simple input/output terminal with regard to the
functions controlled by the server 212. For example, the random selection
of outcomes for the basic game and the bonus game may be functions
performed by the server 214 and subsequently provided to a gaming machine
such as the gaming machine 10. Functions that are not provided by the
server 214, such as control of the local lights, sounds, and displays of
the gaming machine, are handled by the local CPU such as the controller
34 in FIG. 2.

[0065]An additional central display such as a video monitor 222 may be
coupled to the local area network 206 which is viewable from the player
of a number of gaming machines such as gaming machines 10, 100, 210a-e
and 212 for display of video or graphics relating to community based
events accessible from games on the gaming machines. For example, the
video monitor 222 may be used to show a current progressive jackpot or
jackpots which players playing different gaming machines may be eligible
to win. The video monitor 222 can include dual-sided plasma displays,
mechanical dice, and/or other devices designed to attract potential
players to the gaming machines.

[0066]In the present example, one community event offered by the basic
game stored in the system memory 36 (FIG. 2) of the gaming machine 10 is
a game having a progressive award or jackpot, which is preferably linked
with other gaming machines via the local area network 206 and/or the
network 204. The entire progressive award or jackpot may be won upon the
occurrence of a certain outcome of the game.

[0067]The server 214 may also operate one or more progressive awards
concurrently with the basic game and/or bonus games. As explained above,
such progressive awards are usually funded by appropriating a percentage
of the coin-in from participating gaming machines. To be eligible to win
the progressive award, the player may be required to make a progressive
award side wager or make a wager satisfying predetermined criteria, e.g.,
a maximum wager or a wager covering all available paylines in the basic
game. Then, upon occurrence of jackpot-won event in the form of either a
"mystery" event or one or more predetermined outcomes in the basic game
and/or bonus game, the player is awarded the progressive jackpot in
addition to any regular prize or award resulting from the basic game
and/or bonus game. The jackpot-won event may, for example, be the
appearance of a predetermined scatter symbol during the basic game.

[0068]Progressive jackpots may be divided into multiple levels such as
two, three, four, or more levels. Each jackpot level may be associated
with different groups of participating gaming machines that contribute to
that jackpot level. For example, the highest jackpot level may be a
wide-area progressive (WAP) associated with gaming machines across
multiple casinos, while the remaining jackpot levels may be local-area
progressives (LAPs) associated with gaming machines at a single casino or
bank of machines with the casino. The particular game operated by the
server 214 illustrated in FIG. 3 is a local-area progressive in which the
video monitor 222 is controlled by the network server 214 and may
continuously display the progressive jackpot amount(s), preferably on
both individual displays of the participating gaming machines and
community displays in proximity to the participating machines such as the
video monitor 222 where players in the casino 202 may easily see the
jackpot amount(s). A basic game menu may include several options for a
player, including picking games, progressive options, and side bet
options.

[0069]Other community events may include a community bonus game, a bonus
prize shared by multiple players, a multiplier award or other community
features. Such a community event may interrupt the game play on the
gaming machine 10 and use other mechanisms such as the video monitor 222
in FIG. 3 to show graphics or video relating to the community event. In
this example, each one of the players who are currently playing wagering
games on the gaming machines participates in the community event
according to an eligibility criteria such as time-based eligibility that
each gaming machine determines locally. In this example, a community
event controller 224 associated with the video monitor 222 continuously
runs a process to determine if the community bonus should occur, using
its random number generator (RNG). For example, every 250 milliseconds,
the RNG in the community event controller 224 determines if the community
event is triggered. If the community event controller 224 determines that
the community event should occur, then it will issue an invitation to the
gaming machines. Because each of the wagering games on the gaming
machines keeps track of the current eligibility of the respective games
being played, each of the gaming machines makes a decision whether it
will allow the player to participate in the community event, and at which
multiplier any bonuses or prizes resulting from the community event will
be awarded to the player. It is to be understood that a server such as
the server 214 or a master machine which may be one of the gaming
machines such as the gaming machine 10 may be used for the community
event controller 224.

[0070]The server 214 includes a storage device 230 that contains software
instruction sets for different wagering games which may be loaded onto a
storage device of gaming machines such as the system memory 36 of the
gaming machine 10. It is to be understood that different parts of the
instructions sets may be stored on the storage device 230 with other
parts of the instruction sets stored on the individual gaming machines.
For example, the gaming machines may store part of the instruction sets
in the form of modules relating to graphics files, audio/sound files, and
certain game functions and operations such as player greetings or
instructions. The stored instructions sets are mated with the remainder
of the instruction sets loaded from the storage device 230 over the
network 206.

[0071]Part or all of the software instruction set for wagering games may
be sent to the various gaming machines via the wired communication links
218 or the wireless communication links 220. The wagering games are
received by the external I/O circuit 48. The controller 34 of the gaming
machine loads the instruction set for the new wagering game or games in
the system memory 36 and runs the wagering game in accordance with the
software instructions. The wagering games may be stand alone or may offer
eligibility or access to progressive awards or support other community
events with other gaming machines on the local area network 206 or bigger
networks such as the wagering game network 204 in FIG. 3. The progressive
awards therefore may not be associated with any particular basic game,
rather the awards are common to all basic games which may be run by some
or all of the gaming machines on the local area network 206. In the
interest of fairness, the expected value of winning the progressive award
is equivalent between games which allow eligibility to the progressive
award. The expected value for all such games is equalized by setting the
odds for winning the progressive award in proportion to the amount
wagered. Alternatively, the same wager at the same odds to win the
progressive award may be used for all participating games.

[0072]In this example, the wagering games loaded from the server 214 offer
access to symbol-based progressive awards and are preferably correlated
so that their respective expected values for the progressive award are
the same and thus may be loaded on any gaming machine which contributes
to the progressive award. Thus, different games may alter the bet
required and the probability to maintain the same expected value. For
example, a first game loaded on a gaming machine from the server 214 may
offer a 1% probability of winning a progressive award based on a $1 wager
to be eligible for the progressive award. A second game loaded on another
gaming machine via the server 214 which is eligible for the same
progressive award may offer a 2% probability of winning the progressive
award based on a $2 wager to be eligible for same progressive award. The
probability of winning for the second game is thus 2% resulting in the
same constant expected value between the first and second games. Of
course other adjustments may be made to keep the progressive awards fair
across different games. Likewise, other community based events may be
linked to different wagering games which are sent to the gaming machine.

[0073]The server 214 in this example stores a number of wagering games in
the storage device 230. In this example, the server 214 stores a set of
instructions for a first wagering game 232 and a second set of
instructions for a second wagering game 234 in the storage device 230. It
is to be understood that part of the software to support the wagering
games may already reside on the system memory 36 of the gaming machine.
For example, the modules responsible for RNG, audio and/or video drivers,
etc. may reside on the system memory 36 of the gaining machine. Other
components of the instruction set of the game such as graphics files,
audio files etc. may also reside in the storage device 230. Some or all
of the instruction set may be loaded via the external I/O circuit 48 from
the network 206 from the storage device 230 of the server 214. In this
manner, the gaming machine may be used to play different games without
requiring manual delivery of instructions sets of different games to the
gaming machine.

[0074]For example, a player may request a certain wagering game based on
an initial display of a menu of wagering games displayed by the gaming
machine. The menu may include some or all available wagering games stored
on the server 214. FIG. 4 illustrates a menu screen 400 which may be
displayed on the primary display 14 or the secondary display 16 as a
default graphic or may be displayed after a period of gaming machine
inactivity. Other background graphics and/or videos may be displayed on
the primary display 14 or the secondary display 16 to attract players to
the gaming machine. The menu screen 400 in this example gives a player a
choice between playing four different wagering games including a gaming
icon 402 representing the selection of the first wagering game 232 and
another gaming icon 404 representing the selection of the second wagering
game 234 and icons 406, 408 and 410 representing the selection of other
wagering games. Of course, any number of game selections may be offered
on the menu screen 400. Other menu screens may also be accessed via
another icon 412. Alternatively, a player may be offered a choice of
certain wagering games which are stored on the server 214 based on the
popularity of wagering games or according to player information obtained
from the player information reader 52. For example, a wagering game may
be offered based on a player having spent more time playing the
particular wagering game or if the wagering game is among a player's
previous selected favorites. Based on the menu display 400, a player may
select the desired game via a player input device such as the push
buttons 26 or touch screen buttons 30. Further, an operator of the casino
202 may use the server 214 to load wagering games to different gaming
machines based on popularity, location, time interval, special events,
schedule, etc.

[0075]In operation, when an instruction set of a wagering game such as the
first wagering game 232 is received by the external I/O circuit 48 on the
gaming machine, the instruction set of the game 232 is stored in the
system memory 36. The first wagering game 232 in this example is a
wagering game that produces a randomly selected outcome selected from a
plurality of outcomes in response to receiving a wager input from a
player via the player input device 24. For example, the wagering game 232
may enable the controller 34 to show a slot display 500 having a
plurality of reels on the primary display 14 as shown in FIG. 5. The slot
display 500 has a theme (i.e., "Quackers") designed to attract players
and other game feature graphics. In this example, a certain combination
of symbols 502 is enabled by wagering game 232 to indicate the randomly
selected outcome and which may provide access to a community event. In
this example, the community event may be a progressive award.
Alternatively, the wagering game 232 may display a scatter symbol such as
a special symbol 504 as an indication of the randomly selected outcome
thus enabling the community event.

[0076]As explained above, a second wagering game such as the second
wagering game 234 may be loaded on the same or different gaming machine
from the server 214 either via player request or on a command from an
external device such as the server 214. As shown in FIG. 6, the second
wagering game 234 in this example is a different wagering game from the
wagering game 232 in FIG. 5. The second wagering game 234 has a distinct
presentation screen 600 which differs in theme (i.e., "Egyptian Spin")
and graphics from that of the first game 232 but is presented on the same
or different gaming machine. In this example, the second game 234 is a
wagering game with a slot display 600 having a plurality of reels as
shown in FIG. 6. In this example, a certain combination of symbols 502 is
enabled by wagering game 232 to indicate the randomly selected outcome
and which may provide access to a community event. In this example, the
community event may be a progressive award. Alternatively, the wagering
game 234 may display a scatter symbol such as a special symbol 604 as an
indication of the randomly selected outcome thus enabling the community
event.

[0077]In one example, the progressive award is available to players of the
first game 232 on the gaming machine 10 and the second game 234 on the
gaming machine 210a. In this case, the same expected value for the
progressive award is used for the first game 232 and the second game 234.
Thus, the first game 232 offers a player the opportunity to place a wager
to be eligible for the progressive award. The second game 234 will also
offer a player the opportunity to place the same wager amount to be
eligible for the progressive award. The probability of winning the
progressive award is the same between the first and second games 232 and
234. In such a case, the games 232 and 234 may be preconfigured to
provide access to a community event such as a progressive award. For
example, the games 232 and 234 may be preconfigured to show the same
symbol or symbols (i.e., symbols 504 and 604 in FIGS. 5 and 6) as an
indication of the randomly selected outcome to award the progressive
award. The same symbols may be used to offer players common, familiar
features across different games. Of course a different symbol or symbols
unique to each game may be used to indicate the randomly selected
outcome.

[0078]Alternatively, the first game 232 may offer a player the opportunity
to place a wager of a different amount to be eligible for the progressive
award at a different probability to ensure the expected value of both the
first and second games 232 and 234 are the same. For example, the first
game 232 may offer a player a wager of $10 at a probability of 0.1%,
while the second game 234 may offer a player a wager of $1 at a
probability of 0.01% for the same progressive award.

[0079]Finally, the games 232 and 234 may be configured to display certain
video symbols which include community event data. For example, the game
232 displays a symbol 508 in FIG. 5 which shows the value of a potential
progressive award. In this example, the progressive award is available
for all games being played on a bank of machines such as gaming machines
10 and 210a-d. Thus, the second game 234 displays a symbol 608 in FIG. 6
also showing the value of the same potential progressive award.

[0080]In addition, the second game 234 may be loaded on the gaming machine
10 in place of the first game 232 and continue to allow access to the
same community events such as a progressive award as the first game 232.
Of course both the first and second games 232 and 234 may allow
participation in other progressive awards independent of those accessible
via the other game.

[0081]Another configuration of the gaming system 200 allows participation
in underlying community events to be independent of the wagering game
loaded on the gaming machine. In such a case, a community event such as a
progressive award is associated with the gaming machine. Regardless of
the game loaded on the gaming machine, the community event will be
determined (e.g., a contribution to a progressive jackpot or an award of
the progressive jackpot) according to the gaming machine independent of
outcomes of the loaded game. In this manner, the instruction set of the
loaded game does not have to include any instructions relating to a
community event.

[0082]For example, the occurrence of a progressive award may be triggered
by a progressive controller such as the server 214. The progressive award
is a result of contributions determined by the credits wagered by players
on participating gaming machines. For example, for every time a gaming
machine accepts a wager, the progressive controller increments the value
of a progressive award (i.e., 1% of the credits wagered). Of course, the
wager may be for any game loaded on the gaming machine. The eligibility
for such a progressive award may be determined by a gaming machine
function such as the number of credits wagered by a player. In such a
case, the external interface 48 communicates to the network 206 that the
gaming machine 10 is in operation. Prior to each use of the gaming
machine 10, the controller 34 may select a number or numbers based on the
number of credits wagered from a range of numbers. The progressive
controller randomly selects a number from the range of numbers which is
compared with the number or numbers allocated to the player. If a match
occurs, the particular gaming machine may award all or part of the
progressive award or switch over to an award game which allows the player
to play for all or part of the progressive award.

[0083]Disassociating the community events from the games themselves serves
as an opportunity to give control to the casino operator or player to
make the choice as to which games they would like to play and which
progressive awards or communal bonus events they would like to include.
This may extend the product life of games by allowing players/operators
the opportunity to control the product mix.

[0084]FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of the process for loading at least a part
of the software for the wagering game in the gaming machine of FIGS. 1a
and 2. In step s700, the server 214 determines whether a new game is
requested. A new game may be requested via a player via the player input
control and menu screen 400 shown on the primary display 14 on the gaming
machine in FIG. 4. Alternatively, a specific event such as winning a
basic game or other conditions may result in a request for a new game.
Also, the wagering game may be loaded on a schedule determined in advance
by the proprietors of the casino 202 to maximize playing certain popular
games on the gaming machine at select times. In step s702, the server 214
determines whether the gaming machine is idle, i.e. not being operated by
a player. If the gaming machine is not idle, the server 214 takes a
timeout in step s704 and loops back to step s702.

[0085]If the gaming machine is idle in step s702, the controller 34
disables the gaming machine in step s706 and may display a notification
graphic on the main display 14 indicating the gaming machine is waiting
for a new game. The server 214 sends part or all of the software for the
wagering game over the local area network 206 and to the external
interface 48 in step s708. The software is received and loaded in the
system memory 36 in step s710. The controller 34 then begins to run the
loaded wagering game in step s712.

[0086]Although embodiments of the invention have been described with
respect to a lottery game, the principles and teachings of the invention
may be equally applicable to other types of wagering games.

[0087]While the present invention has been described with reference to one
or more particular embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize
that many changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit
and scope of the present invention. Each of these embodiments and obvious
variations thereof is contemplated as falling within the spirit and scope
of the claimed invention, which is set forth in the following claims.